The Gift Of Time

RENO, NV - Ask Broker-Owner of Remax Reality Affiliates Amy Lessinger to recall one of the best Christmas gifts she ever received; she doesn't hesitate to tell you about a gift she from her husband just two years ago.

“You know I opened it, and I was very confused at first because here is this calendar and it was very homemade. It had stickers and I kind of lasered in on the first one and it said date night, and then I flipped to the next page and it had date nights on every month of the year and that's when I finally got it,” says Lessinger.

The 2012 calender, made of construction paper, crayons and stickers, had strict instructions such as: no kids, no hat, dress up, look nice.

Her husband thought of restaurants and asked Amy to hold his hand; there was even a trip out of town.

“Thought about and felt about the meaning of the gift to the person and you are willing to give of your most precious commodity which is a full you. That's your unique self connecting and willing to connect and have a shared experience with another person. So its an honor to get one of these things,” says local psychologist Stephanie Dillon, explaining what's behind this type of gift and why it is so unique.

Dillon says with cell phones and i-Pads, and so much taking our attention and time, it is much easier to buy something.

But if you want to make Christmas incredibly different this year with your family, you might try something like Amy's husband did.

We went to a craft store and for well under ten dollars we bought tags and stickers and decorated them with ideas for the coming year.

Movie night once a month with a spouse, small home repairs for a neighbor, lunch with mom once a month, dinner at a restaurant of your choice with dad.

Kids can even get into the act, and offer to do dishes, vacuum, babysit.

But in all respects, this is the easiest part.

The challenge to these types of gifts: you need to know what the recipient would really want--which means you're going to have to talk to them and ask the right questions without letting on to what you are planning.

Don't promise something you can't fulfill, and each party needs to make the other accountable for an entire year.

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